Holdfast for stretching hides and leather



ug l 7 E. G. LowE HOLDF'AST FOR STRETCHING HIDEs AND LEATHER Filed Sept. 3,v 1925 Patented Aug. 9i, 192,7.v

ERNEST Grf LOWE, OF HERTFORD, ILLINOIS. l

HOLDFAST FOR STRETCHING HIDES AND LEATHER.

Application filed September 3, y1925. Serial No. 54,268.l

4My invention relates to hold-fasts or devices for holding hides and leather upon a board or frame while being dehydrated.

The primary objectof my invention -is to produce a hold-fast to be used in aflixing hides and leather to a board or frame while being dehydrated that will becertain in operation, easy toattach and detach and that can be constructed at a low cost.V

Another' object of my invention is to provide a hold-fast which may be successfully used without leaving an imprint on either side of the leather` or hide being dehydrated, and at the same time will be of great durability, the same hold-fast being used with hundreds of different hides.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will be clearly set forth in the description, claim and drawings, in which: i

F ig. l is a plan view showing the use of my invention.

F ig. 2 is a view of my invention as applied to a different type of frame.

F ig. 3 is a side` elevation.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation.

Fig. 5 is a. plan view.

4ln the process of manufacturing leather from hides, the hidebecomes hydrated since the tan bark or other extracts used in tanning must be used in a liquid form, the maj or component of which is water. The porosity of the hide causes it to absorb a large poi-f tion of the liquid with which it is treated,

resulting' in material expansion of its superficial area.

In order that the hide or leathermay not unduly contract when being dehydrated, it is customary to stretch it by various means, one of the most commonof which is by tacking it upon wooden boards prepared for the purpose.

l/Vhen the hide or leather is being treated, the process of dehydration causes the hide to contract with considerable force from all directions, so that if it is not securely tacked at all points along the marginal edge, the contraction withdraws the tacks and not only allows the hide to shrink to less area, but to shrink unevenly, so that it is not of a uniform thickness.

lf any form of clamp is used to holdrthe marginal edges in place, the'jaws of .the clamp must be held together with sutlicient force to prevent the hide from slipping out of the jaws, and it has been found by experience that wherever the `jaws have been clamped upon the hide or leather during the process of dehydration that particular part of t-he hide or leather retains the mark of the jaws of the clamp and materially deteriorates the leather, which must be trimmed away at a loss.

To avoid these objections andy needless waste, it has been found that tacks or small pointed fasteners, capable of piercing the marginal edge of the hide, when placed sufficiently close together divide the tension of contraction among the various holders and the leather is but slightly damaged, and, in fact, in some cases the holes pierced through the marginal edges of the hide entirely disappear in the process of iinishing the leather.

Howevena serious objection to the use of tacks, in addition to the fact that they sometimes are withdrawn, and that they become scattered about the floor of the tanvnery, frequently piercing the soles of the shoes of the workers and causingv injury thereby, is that they are withdrawn from the boards and still cling to the leather and they injure, and sometimes entirely destroy, the face of the embossing plates, which are quite expensive, orotlier machines through which it is necessary to pass the leather in the process lof finishing. y

Another disadvantage in the use of tacks is the fact' that new tacks have to be constantly supplied to take the place of those bent, injured or lost in the usual courseof operation. Y i 1 i To overcome the above objections and difiiculties, I have devised a very simple, positively accurate hold-fast that can be instantly attached to the edge of the hide or leather without the use of any tools and can be quickly. attached and detached from a vsuitable frame with no tools other than the human hand, and which will remain fixed bot-h in the marginal edge of the hide or leather and in the board until removed by a conscious act of the operator.

Because my invention is preferably made by. stamping it from sheet metal, it may be used over and over again'for a period of years without serious wear or liability of becoming inoperative.

As shown in Fig. 3 my invention consists of a main body portion l, substantially recgreat a distance from its marginal edge.l

he de ressed Jortion l serves the )ur Jose 'l ot holding the priclcr 5 from longitudinal `movement since when in a closed position the pricker 5 enters the oriiice G in the main body portion 1.

rEhe opposite end of the main body portion 1 is provided with two ears 7, which project downwardly at right angles to the major axis of the body portion 1. rlChe ears 7 are curvilinear in cross section and slightly tapered, at their lower enus, in order to 'facilitate their insertion in round perforations ina suitable iframe 9.

The ears 7 are, also, provided with slight embossed portion 10, which when inserted through the periforations S prevents them 'from being accidentally dislodged therefrom.

The ears 7 are formed ot spring or other resilient steel, so that at a slight pressure ot the hand they are 'forced towards each other suiiiciently to allow :tree insertion into the perforations 8 beyond the embossed portions 10. e,

Another rectilinear member 11 is superimposed upon the main body portion 1, being oi equal length and width thereto and held firmly therewith by means of suitable rivets 12.

The member 11 being preferably stamped from sheet metal has ears 13 turned upwardly 'at right angles to its major airis to :torni bearings 1st. about which revolves an eccentric 15, actuated by a lever handle 16. Parallel with the main body portion 1 and the memberl 11 and riveted thereto at one end is a 'flat spring 17, normally adapted to hold the pricker 5 at its maximum upward limit. The point of the cam 15 is exaggerated or extended at 18 adapting it to press the spring portion 17 ilat down against the member 11, until the point of the pricker enters the oriiice 6 in the main body portion 1.

1t is obvious that when a hide is inserted in the open space, 20, between the main body portion 1 and the member 11, and the cam 15 is caused to be pressed down, the spring 17 by means of rotating the lever handle ywill cause the priclrer 5 to be forced through the marginal edge of the Vhide or leather to which it is applied, and as the lever handle reaches the position shown in the dotted lines 21, the thumb and 1fore-linger of the hand automatically grasp the resilient ears 7 pressing them together as they are inserted into the perforations 8, or through *theV meshes 22 of in Fig. 1. Y y l lt is, also, apparent that when the lever 'handle 16 is thrown upward as shown-in Fig. 3, the spring'17 will withdraw the pricker 5 from the hide on leather, thus instantly releasingi-t'.V 1t willbe noted that when the priclrer 5 is at its maximum' limit the point is vstill within the oriiice 19, thereby protectinr the Vpoint against injury and Aat the same time preventing the point from injuring the hand of the operator. VThis Construction further facilitatesV the releasing of the hide because the point is witha screen frame, as shown drawn entirely therefrom.Y The lever 1handie being held in place a pintle 26 is provid-ed with .an extension 27 to facilitate the releasing` oit the hide by striking the exteng sion 2'? with a mall'et or any other suitable tool. Y g

lt Vsometimes found convenient, after 11 ifi) the leather' has become dehydrated to aV ed ai suitable hook 23 on one end ot my de- Y vice adapted to engage the link ot a chain or to hold fast to a rope by means'of atriangular opening` 2a, the weight of the hide or side or leather suspended causing the rope to iirmly enter the crotch 25 of the opening 2a, thereby preventing movement in the direction oi' the major axi'soi' the rope.

laving fully described my invention, its use and construction, what l claim as vnew and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l Y

A hold-tast for securing and holding sides o' leather and hides to a trame for dehydrating them, comprising a cam actuated pricker adapted to pierce the lmarginal edge ot sides of leather and hides, a sl'i'onlder adapted to limit the distance from the edge ot sides ot leather and hides that said priclrer can pierce the said hides and sides ont leather, a cam for actuating said pricker, a spring for withdrawing said priclrer, a lever arm `for actuating said cam', a pintle about which said cam rotates, upwardly turned ears providing bearings for said pin tle, a guard protecting the point of said priclrer, a yplurality ot resilient ears adapted to engage apertures of like contour, said ears being circumferentially 'embossed to prevent their accidental withdrawalfrom said apertures. and a triangular hook adapted to grip and hold a rope or chain link.

ln witness whereof I have hereunto aflined my signature this '29 day oi" Aug. '1925.

ERNEST Gr. LOVE. 

